Investigation of Pre-Service Biology Teachers' Achievement and Views on Skill-Based Items
27. Frühjahrsschule Fachsektion Didaktik der Biologie im VBIO, Dresden, Germany, 23 - 26 February 2026, pp.38, (Summary Text)
- Publication Type: Conference Paper / Summary Text
- City: Dresden
- Country: Germany
- Page Numbers: pp.38
- Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
In recent years, assessment practices in education have increasingly moved away from traditional methods that focus solely on measuring factual knowledge and have shifted toward item formats designed to evaluate students’ higher-order cognitive skills (Çolak, 2022). One notable example of this shift is the growing use of skill-based test items, which prioritize learner-centered instruction and aim to assess competencies such as analytical reasoning and problem solving. A review of the literature shows that skill-based items entered the educational agenda in Türkiye relatively recently, particularly following their introduction into national examinations in 2018, and that the number of studies on this topic remains limited and tends to concentrate on specific areas. Existing research has largely focused on middle school students and in-service teachers, addressing topics such as teachers’ perceptions and item development processes (Erhan, Doğan, & Haser, 2024; Güneş-Topal & Özenç, 2025; Nayıroğlu, Yazar, & Koç, 2021; Tortop, Cumalı, Çelenli, & Taşpınar Şener, 2022). In contrast, there is a noticeable lack of research examining preservice teachers, particularly within the context of science education, and exploring their performance on skill-based questions, their perceived competence, and their pedagogical interpretations. This gap suggests the need for deeper investigation into how preservice teachers understand skill-based assessment and how these understandings shape their instructional decision-making. The purpose of this study is to examine biology preservice teachers’ performance on multiple-choice skill-based items and to explore their knowledge, perceived competence, and views concerning these items. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, beginning with a quantitative phase and followed by a qualitative phase designed to further investigate and contextualize the initial findings. For the quantitative stage, a six-item achievement test was developed using skill-based questions publicly available on the official website of the Ministry of National Education, with expert input ensuring their appropriateness. The test was administered to 16 voluntary third- and fourth-year preservice biology teachers enrolled in a public university in İzmir, and the results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 preservice teachers. The interview protocol was designed to elicit participants’ knowledge of skill-based questions, their sense of competence, the challenges they encounter, and their overall perspectives on these item types. The necessary ethical permissions were obtained, and all interviews were audio-recorded. The qualitative data will be analyzed through content analysis to provide a systematic interpretation of participants’ perspectives. The findings and implications of the study will be presented during the poster session at the spring school.